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 Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:45 pm
Once again bringing you another (hopefully) fun-filled thread about another of Evangelions characters! Discuss anything and everything Rei here! (if you so desire) Here are my thoughts: (again taken from the Evangelion Fan Hangout...may it rest in peace) Ashram_VII Rei Ayanami is a mystery at first, which is what made her so intriguing. Her demeanor could best be described as cold and monotone, perhaps unwavering. She showed no emotion when Shinji saw her naked but at the same time showed extreme protectiveness of Gendo's glasses, something that she treasured. It has been bugging me, the idea of there being two Reis throughout the series (and later three in EoE) but it brought a thought to mind. Perhaps she is a way of explaining Freud's three stages of human development. (child, adolescent, and adult) When we first see Rei, she is quite, dependent on NERV, (for the most part) and only emotional around her "father". We first see her open up to another, Shinji, (lucky punk) when she smiles for him. (that sold me on liking her, that smile is just to pure) The idea of reaching out beyond her boundries and becoming an adolescent. Now she still retains her quiet attitude, as well as her sense of duty...piloting the EVAs. Perhaps it is because that is what she was cretaed for, that is her purpose. Another thought, maybe the creator was trying to show the idea that all people have a purpose, and that other people view their purpose differently. In Rei's case, it could be the only way she justifies her existence, and when Shinji comes along, maybe she realizes that life is not JUST about fulfilling one's purpose. (we also see a hint of this in the way she relates to Gendo) Dedication is the main characteristic of Rei and her main weakness is emotion. I've wondered if she takes joy in her work, like Asuka, (not my favorite character, but I have to admire her gung-ho attitude and her striving to be the best) but I don't remember ever seeing any evidence of it. Dedication is a good thing...but if it is the only thing that one is concerned about, there lies the problem. (one thing to understand about orientals is that they believe in balance, in everything) I'm probably leaving a lot out...but this is all that comes to my mind at the moment. Rei's mysterious, quiet ways caught my attention. Her first smile caught my eye. Her dedication and the slow display of emotions caught my heart. It would have been very interesting to see how she would have grown had she lived on and if the story had continued from where the ending of the series left off. (hurray for the Rei who acted like an average girl!) Next up on my list of character analysises is Asuka! (the unbiased version, since Sir Langley would kill me alive *kind of a "DUH!" statement, no?* if I do a biased one xd ) Discuss away...about Rei! (No rhym(sp?) intended)
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Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:59 pm
Okay... I'm not exactly one to like this character, but that's due to certain Real Life complications.
However, her character never appealed to me, or reached out and took hold of me at all. I really love it when it feels like the characters touch you like that.
I guess it's arrogance on my part, but I just didnt see that from her.
Moving on, I did admire a few of her traits, such as the dedication. She was willing to put her life on the line, and even die.
Seeing as she would only do those things when Gendo ordered her too, that made me sad because she had no mind of her own.
Granted, that man royally ******** her up by not raising her right. So she really didnt know any better.
Anything she did, seemed to focus on the thanatos. It was always about the death impulse for her. She just didnt seem to want to live. She knew she could be replaced, and it didnt matter to her. She didnt care enough to try and become her own person.
Characters like Shinji and Asuka (I'm gonna focus on her co-pilots) taught her that it's okay to feel things towards someone if you're not ordered to.
I guess, personally, I just don't like her mindless ways or her cryptic statements. That doesnt add to her enigmatic sense, it just bloody annoys me.
The most I could settle on, was pity for her. Pity and slight concern. Other than that, I really couldnt care any less what she did to herself or when she blew herself up. (tho, that was a very touching gesture... haha)
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Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 9:53 pm
Sir Langley Okay... I'm not exactly one to like this character, but that's due to certain Real Life complications. However, her character never appealed to me, or reached out and took hold of me at all. I really love it when it feels like the characters touch you like that. I guess it's arrogance on my part, but I just didnt see that from her. Moving on, I did admire a few of her traits, such as the dedication. She was willing to put her life on the line, and even die. Seeing as she would only do those things when Gendo ordered her too, that made me sad because she had no mind of her own. Granted, that man royally ******** her up by not raising her right. So she really didnt know any better. Anything she did, seemed to focus on the thanatos. It was always about the death impulse for her. She just didnt seem to want to live. She knew she could be replaced, and it didnt matter to her. She didnt care enough to try and become her own person. Characters like Shinji and Asuka (I'm gonna focus on her co-pilots) taught her that it's okay to feel things towards someone if you're not ordered to. I guess, personally, I just don't like her mindless ways or her cryptic statements. That doesnt add to her enigmatic sense, it just bloody annoys me. The most I could settle on, was pity for her. Pity and slight concern. Other than that, I really couldnt care any less what she did to herself or when she blew herself up. (tho, that was a very touching gesture... haha) Wow sir langley is very wordy domokun I can't write 1/4 of that! anywho, I think Rei is kinda cool mostly because of the way she talks and such i like her eyes too. So yeah thats my very short discussion on Rei sweatdrop
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Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 9:56 pm
Haha. Yes, I'm wordy.
Altho, no one get me wrong. Just because I didnt take an instant liking to her, doesnt mean that I don't respect what she does and who she is... or isnt... haha.
Anyways, I'm sure she has her 'good points', I simply fail to see many of them.
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Eloquent Conversationalist
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Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 3:38 am
Thats true with me and Asuka too Lang. I know she has some good points. I just don't like some of the things she does, and if she were real I wouldn't like them either, but I will admit, I do feel for Asuka.
But since this is a Rei thread, I'd better stop talking about Asuka and start talking about Rei. I think the reason I'm drawn to her is that I think she is the most captivating of the characters, and probably the most mysterious, except maybe Gendo. Everyone seems to think that she is emotionless, but she just doesn't know how to show her emotions or describe them. To me, strangely enough, I think she is also the easiest of the characters for me to understand and relate to. Although I'm alot like Shinji, I'm also alot like Rei, which is strange since I'm a guy, but thats ok...lol.
As for her thanatos complex, I believe she wanted to die because she did not know how to live, thanks to b*****d of the Year (Gendo). She was also lonely and I believe she wanted companionship, but did not know how to go about attaining it. And even when Shinji reached out to try and get to know her, she didn't know how to act and it caused her downfall. I think the saddest thing about her demise in episode 23 is that she died right after realising she was lonely. She felt it and cried, a big sign of emotions there. And then she died to be replaced by Rei III who cried, but did not know why, and who had no recolection of knowing how lonely she was.
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Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 3:52 am
some of that is restated stuff weve already discussed
this is not a Gendo hate thread
and that supports the Rei soul theory
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Eloquent Conversationalist
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Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 3:53 am
Always putting me down...((lol))
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Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 10:34 am
I also like Rei. I believe she is still my favourite EVA character (despite me picking the Asuka pic for my sig... I like red ok?) because I feel like I can connect with her sort of. I like her detached attitude to everyone and everything; she's a character that's constantly searching for something though she doesn't know what that is.
It seems that every time she dies and is replaced a new facet of Rei appears, like her emotional level is upped or something. As it's previously been said (by Ashram I believe) she progresses quite a lot throughout the series and it would have been very interesting to see how she could have developed.
I feel that Rei is a very diverse character (despite her seeming lack of emotions) and I believe that the reason she seems so emotionless is because she can't understand the things she's feeling and pushes them away from her as a sort of defence mechanism. That's why I feel connected to her, because I have also felt the need to forget emotion and just be.
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Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 8:45 pm
Surprisingly enough I actually like Rei for rather selfish and shallow reasons.
Basically it started when I saw someone post a pic of her in her plug suit at a Legend of Zelda forum. I was not into anime at the time so I really didn't know what to make of it. All I know is that she looked remarkably like a fictional character I had made up that had blue hair and wore white. Coincidently the character was an angel, but more along the lines of a traditional angel. It wasn't until years later that I would start reasearcing Evangelion and discover her role in the series.
Because of this I enjoy seeing Rei more out of character and smiling than in character and having difficulty showing her feelings.
Rei is still a very facinating character. There is a lot more to her then being the "emotionless robot" she sometimes comes off as. smile
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Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:37 pm
I guess this would go here. I was reading Underpower when I came across a part that had a lot of characters from different animes (all robots, ones I picked up were Alita from Battle Angel Alita, Ryoko from Tenchi Muyo, Maharo from Mahoromatic, May from Hand Maid May, Melfina from Outlaw Star, Armitage from Armitage the Third, Key from Key the Metal Idol and that girl from Big O) and one of them was Rei (sorta robot?). They were all part of some sort of AA gig (for robots), and some of them made speeches, one being Rei herself. http://underpower.non-essential.com/index.php?comic=20031003Other than thinking the cameo funny, I found the comment on Rei being "all the negative aspects of women in Christian belief" really interesting. Now I realize that this is a satrical comic and some things said shouldn't be too analyzed or weighed that heavily, but is there any truth to this? I'd be interested to know Anyone else have anything to support this?
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Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:51 pm
LMFAO.... okay that made me laugh.
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Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:51 pm
Evil Spoon Child I guess this would go here. I was reading Underpower when I came across a part that had a lot of characters from different animes (all robots, ones I picked up were Alita from Battle Angel Alita, Ryoko from Tenchi Muyo, Maharo from Mahoromatic, May from Hand Maid May, Melfina from Outlaw Star, Armitage from Armitage the Third, Key from Key the Metal Idol and that girl from Big O) and one of them was Rei (sorta robot?). They were all part of some sort of AA gig (for robots), and some of them made speeches, one being Rei herself. http://underpower.non-essential.com/index.php?comic=20031003Other than thinking the cameo funny, I found the comment on Rei being "all the negative aspects of women in Christian belief" really interesting. Now I realize that this is a satrical comic and some things said shouldn't be too analyzed or weighed that heavily, but is there any truth to this? I'd be interested to know Anyone else have anything to support this? ... domokun That deserves a good chuckle. (maybe a hysteric laugh or two) Before I could answer that question...I'd have to know what they constitute as negative aspects in women in the christian belief.
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 5:16 pm
I like Rei for exactly the opposite reasons that all of you like her (or dislike her). I find that Rei is probably the MOST emotional character of Evangelion, she's just not quite sure how to express it....
Think about, she has the most emotional problems to deal with! She's alone, not sure why her best friend and senior(The a**, Gendo) is being, quite frankly, out-right sexual with her. She's never really been accepted BECAUSE of her not being able to express her emotions, she has an unknown sadness within, not to mention another being trying to take over. She is in love (albeit a strange love) with Shinji AND his father(only because he's the only one who really paid any attention to her), and for strange reason, she can't get oer the fact that she feels CONNECTED to Shinji. She's been a porcelain doll her whole life without any control over what she does...She has no life of her own! And then there's the confusion of how and why she's feeling all this. If none of you see this in the anime, try reading the manga...
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 9:12 pm
Ya, I've seen both.
I agree that she does seem a lot more emotional, and willing to reach out to others a lot more in the Manga. Particularly with Shinji.
In the series, she's much more self-isolated.
I'm not sure about her being the most emotional character. She's probably got the same instabilities as the other children do. She just doesnt show it at all.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 11:28 am
KelpieMoonPriestess I like Rei for exactly the opposite reasons that all of you like her (or dislike her). I find that Rei is probably the MOST emotional character of Evangelion, she's just not quite sure how to express it... As interesting as this point is...never-the-less, I have to disagree with Rei being the most emotional character. To be emotional one must show their emotions, and Rei does not do this very often. (she does, however, show a considerable rise in emotional display during the series, due to her relations with the other pilots) KelpieMoonPriestess Think about, she has the most emotional problems to deal with! She's alone, not sure why her best friend and senior (The a**, Gendo) is being, quite frankly, out-right sexual with her. Let me guess, because Gendo shows concern for Rei, (albeit, usually more concern than over Shinji) obviously its sexual in nature. stare (I would go further, but this is not the Gendo thread) All the pilots are alone, Rei is the only one that had a parent like figures in her "early life." Shinji was left by his father at the age of four and his mother was dead. Asuka's mother was...strange to say the least...and commited suicide and wanted Asuka to do the same, leaving her all alone and for the most part, bitter. KelpieMoonPriestess She's never really been accepted BECAUSE of her not being able to express her emotions, she has an unknown sadness within, not to mention another being trying to take over. This is a pretty good point, the only question I would raise is if Rei even knows what sadness is. Another question is, does she want to be accepted? She doesn't seem to care about being accepted, so why would she need to express herself? KelpieMoonPriestess She is in love (albeit a strange love) with Shinji AND his father(only because he's the only one who really paid any attention to her), and for strange reason, she can't get over the fact that she feels CONNECTED to Shinji. I'm still juggling the idea of Rei being in love with Shinji on an interpersonal level. I'll agree with you that it does makes itself known but I don't know if I can say that it stays that way between both parites. As far as Gendo is concerned...I think he is more like a father figure for her, because he is older and, as you said, she pays the most attention to her amoung the people she knew before Shinji came along. KelpieMoonPriestess She's been a porcelain doll her whole life without any control over what she does...She has no life of her own! And then there's the confusion of how and why she's feeling all this. If none of you see this in the anime, try reading the manga... The fact that she is a clone suggest that she was "created" to serve only one purpose, and therefore she might think that it is her whole life to pilot the Eva. And the people she associated with the most, Gendo, Ritsuka, Misato, and the rest of NERV, helped (or hindered, depending on how you look at it) make her the way she is, the "puppet" that obeys without hesitation because that is how she was "created." The manga does seem to offer more indept looks at the expressions of the characters, so I'm looking forward to finishing it to see if I can further develop my thoughts on the characters.
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